It’s been a while since Sentris was successfully Kickstarted (with my help!), but to say that Timbre Interactive have simply been resting on their laurels since, would be a bald-faced lie. I mean, even though the recent Steam release is only the first alpha, it’s still a great way to kick things off, based on the current feature list. Ah, music.
Although I’m sure things have changed since the crowdfund-assisting prototype, the core concept remains largely unchanged. You’ll still be ‘dropping beats’ into a circular grid, in the form of pitches, instruments and/or length/duration blocks, to get a funky groove going. But it’s not just about randomly adding stuff here and there, as there’s a puzzle-y element to it all, making for a deceptively simple experience.
Do keep in mind, however, that it was released under Early Access for a reason: Sentris is by no means a finished product, yet. That said, the ‘core experience’ is available at the time of writing, featuring a bunch of levels, groovy backgrounds, four rockin’ instruments (guitar, bass, synth, drums) and a selection of gameplay customization options. Not bad for an alpha build, and it seems the full version is set for April 2015 at the latest.
It’s a rhythmical challenge that enables personal musical expression. The music you make with Sentris is your own authentic creation to enjoy and share.
But that’s still quite far off, which is probably a good thing, seeing how a lot is still on the drawing board, planned for the full release (or more likely, during Early Access): needless to say, level editor and Steam Workshop is coming, along with an export option, additional instruments, (local) multiplayer and a couple of other neat additions. Remember how Guitar Hero made playing music fun and easy, back in the day? I’d say Sentris cranks it up to eleven, as it makes creating music fun and easy!
Sentris is available for Windows, Mac and Linux from Steam [Early Access] and the Humble Store, priced at $19.99. The final version should be out around April 2015.
